


Revenge May be Wicked, But It's Natural

by Moomin_94



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: F/M, Happy Birthday Tiarnni!, Humor, Revenge, it's just about taking points away from Cressida tbh, light trickery, none of the relationships come too heavily into play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moomin_94/pseuds/Moomin_94
Summary: To see the new Mrs. Bridgerton forgiven by all so easily after being unmasked as Lady Whistledown mere weeks ago? Surely Cressida couldn’t be expected to bear much more than thisORPenelope and Kate decide it might be time for a little revenge on their old friendORMichael Stirling is always willing to help a Lady when asked
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield, Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Francesca Bridgerton/Michael Stirling
Comments: 20
Kudos: 185





	Revenge May be Wicked, But It's Natural

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TRay251025](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TRay251025/gifts).



> Oh Heyyyyyy
> 
> I'm back so soon! And with something completely unrelated to the Bridgerton and Sons Universe I seem intent on crowbarring out into the world? Quelle Surprise! 
> 
> This is obviously completely unrelated to Bridgerton and Sons and I'm not giving up on that, obviously! This is just a fun little oneshot dedicated to my truly incredible friend Tiarnni, who had this idea. Tiarnni is the friend I've mentioned several times now in all of my posts, without whom Bridgerton and Sons literally would have never seen the light of day (you can also blame her if you're absolutely fed up of me). It's her birthday Today, so guys! If you wouldn't mind giving her a shout out in the comments section, that would be truly amazing! 
> 
> Anyway, Hope you have an amazing day today! And Happy reading!

Cressida Twombley truly couldn’t help but sigh as she looked around Bridgerton House’s Ballroom. Another season had passed since her feckless husband had died and still she had no husband. And what was worse, this season she had been truly humiliated by Penelope Featherington, first as pertained to the Lady Whistledown fiasco, and then she’d had to watch as Penelope Featherington had stood in front of everyone and become Mrs. Bridgerton. God it just wasn’t to be born.

She sighed from her position near the lemonade table, searching through the crowd for some previously unknown eligible bachelor to make themselves known to her. Truly, she had been very shocked to receive an invite to tonight’s end of season ball, absolutely sure that Kate Sheffield, (Cressida refused to think of that woman as _Lady Bridgerton_ of all things, even ten years into her marriage) would have taken the opportunity of this latest fiasco to strike Cressida’s name from the invite list of this and all future Bridgerton hosted soirees. But apparently Ms. Sheffield was feeling magnanimous while writing her invitations this year, so Cressida had sighed to herself and put her best gown, and a smile on, and kept up appearances.

She’d arrived sometime ago and been forced to greet the insufferable _Viscountess Bridgerton_ at the door.

“Lady Twombley!” She’d said brightly, a wide smile on her plain face, her arm tucked into Lord Bridgerton’s “We were so glad you could join us this evening!” That, Cressida very much doubted. But she’d smiled anyway and said

“I find myself quite unable to stay away. Thank you for extending the invitation Lord Bridgerton.” Directing her statement to the man in question only. If his wife noticed the slight she said nothing, the same polite smile still on her face. Lord Bridgerton’s brow furrowed ever so slightly and he said briskly,

“I’m afraid we have _Lady_ Bridgerton to thank for this honour.”

Cressida had been shuffled along in the receiving line before much more could be said. Mercifully before she’d been forced to greet the newest Mrs. Bridgerton or the one who could smile, and smile, but would still only be a maid.

She could see the them across the room now, Penelope laughing gaily into her glass as her new husband flitted behind her, Lord Bridgerton was whispering in his wife’s ear in a truly vulgar display of affection. Cressida felt a surge of irritation once more flit through her. She remembered so clearly the night Lord Bridgerton had stood in his ancestral home and announced his engagement to Miss Sheffield. The entire room had turned towards Miss Edwina Sheffield, who had looked a little bemused, her delicate brow furrowed and had turned towards her sister, stuck out her hand and had lightly pushed her forward, before leading the clapping herself. It had been the marriage that no-one had expected, though only Cressida seemed to remember how distasteful, Katharine Sheffield had been these days. The _ton_ seemed to grovel at the feet of _Lady Bridgerton_ and it was nothing short of infuriating. And to have had the same upstart happen again, not a month ago when Penelope Featherington, a bonafide spinster, had married Mr Colin Bridgerton while Cressida was near penniless? To see the new Mrs. Bridgerton forgiven by all so easily after being unmasked as Lady Whistledown mere weeks ago? Surely Cressida couldn’t be expected to bear much more than this. She let out another irritated sigh.

“Goodness, that sounds a very frustrated noise.” A deep voice said to Cressida’s left, causing her to startle a little. Turning towards the voice she was startled further to find Michael Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, his handsome face lit by a charming smile. He made a small bow to her which she returned. She hadn’t seen him enter the room, hadn’t even known he’d returned from Scotland after leaving so abruptly earlier in the season.

“Lady Twombley, to what do we owe the vexatious little noise I just heard?” Lord Kilmartin said, his eyes sparkling brightly in the candlelight. Cressida cursed herself as she felt warmth rising to her cheeks, she was a widow, not a debutante at her first ball!

“I’m afraid, Lord Kilmartin, I was simply despairing at the lack of good company on an evening such as this. Though of course at the time I confess I had thought _you_ not returned from Scotland.” Cressida smiled coyly, she knew it was forward, but a woman in her position couldn’t afford to wait. If Lord Kilmartin found her so, his only response was to smile wider.

“I confess, I had not thought to return to Town so soon, but Lady Bridgerton is always such a gracious hostess.” He said jovially, another flicker of irritation past through Cressida at the mention of that woman. He continued unaffected, leaning a little closer than was perhaps proper, “And indeed, How could I stay away when I knew such company awaited me here?” He was looking up at her through his eyelashes, charming grin still on is face.

Lord Kilmartin had always been a notorious rake, Cressida knew that, heavens everyone knew it. When he’d been nothing but the cousin of the previous earl he’d still made his way laughing and smiling, a merry rake, and he would have been a more than suitable husband then. Certainly more of a catch than Lord Twombley had been. But now that he was returned from India and intended to take up the mantle of Lord Kilmartin proper, he was surely the finest match of the season. And rumour had it, before he left for Scotland very suddenly, that he had intended to finally take a wife and oust Francesca Bridgerton-Stirling from her position as Lady Kilmartin. Well, Cressida corrected internally, the _Dowager_ Lady Kilmartin. So if Lord Kilmartin were looking for a wife, why should it not be her? She thought deviously.

“Indeed.” Cressida said, fluttering her fan and eyelashes in sync. Silence passed between them for a second, Cressida could feel eyes on them from across the room, then Lord Kilmartin seemed to steal himself.

“Lady Twombley, may I be so bold as to request the honour of your company on the dance floor? If you are not engaged for the next.” Cressida smiled to herself as the waltz started, what an unexpectedly pleasant evening this was turning out to be. Setting down her glass, she allowed Lord Kilmartin to lead her to the floor, taking up their positions, his hand, resting low on her waist, seemed to burn through her dress a little. She could feel the flush rising in her cheeks as they spun around the floor, his eyes never leaving hers. From the corner of her eye she could see Penelope Featherington, she refused to name the woman as a Bridgerton, watching intently an odd little satisfied smirk playing on her face. The Viscount leaned close to his wife and whispered something, only to be swatted away with a muttered _Not now Anthony, Lord_ with an exasperated look. Cressida frowned slightly for a second. Though she hated to admit it, this behaviour was odd. If Michael Stirling’s reputation was firmly fixed as a rake, the only reputation of the _ton_ more fixed was the reputation of the Viscount and his wife for being, always a little more enamoured with one another than was de rigueur. It was truly baffling to Cressida, who found Kate _Sheffield_ to be entirely without grace and charm, though she supposed, perhaps that had its uses elsewhere in the house. She shook the unsettled feeling the interaction had given her as the viscount tossed his brother an exasperated look of his own.

By the time the Waltz ended, Cressida’s cheeks were burning, and she’d firmly fixed on the idea of herself as the next Lady Kilmartin. Finally to be free of the last name of her feckless husband who’d finally had the good sense to pass on, she only wished he’d done it with a little more capital behind him. And to oust a Bridgerton from their lofty position at the very same time? The thought was practically delicious. It was true, she had no quarrel with the dowager Lady Kilmartin. When she’d been Francesca Bridgerton, she’d been a kind, though reserved girl and this had lent her an air of slight aloofness, so different from her sisters and sister-in-laws who marched into rooms with a commanding presence. But still, Cressida thought vaguely, in for a penny in for a pound. The Bridgertons were all the same anyway, a jibe to one was a jibe to all and she’d take what she could get.

Lord Kilmartin led her back towards the refreshments table chatting jovially, his eyes fixed unmovingly on her. He was flirting most outrageous really, the flush had never left her cheeks. As she turned to face him, she’d almost made up her mind to force the issue, attempt a swoon when a hand appeared on his shoulder, a ring on the fourth finger glinting in the light.

“Michael, _darling.”_ The voice said lightly, “Your Mother’s feeling unwell, I quite think she’d like to go home now.” Lord Kilmartin turned towards the sound revealing the dowager Lady Kilmartin, smiling brightly at him her hand till clutching his arm. Lord Kilmartin’s face changed instantly, his expression softened, his eyes widening. Cressida felt her brow furrow, trying to place the pieces of the puzzle together. After a second, he turned back towards her, his expression now one of closed disinterest.

“Lady Twombley, I believe you know Lady Kilmartin.” He said, as Cressida attempted to force a polite though very strained smile onto her face, He continued. “My Wife.”

Cressida felt her mouth drop open in surprise, in a very unladylike fashion. The Kilmartins were smiling brightly, though Lady Kilmartin’s lower lip was caught between her teeth as she attempted to hold something in.

“Your _Wife?”_ Cressida questioned vaguely, lord the room was starting to spin dangerously “I hadn’t heard.” She finished, her ears ringing, humiliation starting to build within her. Lady Kilmartin responded

“Oh, it hadn’t been announced yet, I suppose, it all happened rather suddenly.” a coy smile passing between herself and her apparent husband. Outrage was starting to replace the humiliation as she continued,

“I must thank you for your kind attentions towards my husband tonight, I was rather delayed with my sisters. I’m sure everyone was very…entertained.” The coy smile was turning into something other closer to a smirk, her lip once more between her teeth. And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Cressida staring after them a little open mouthed. She could hear their conversation drifting back to her.

“Well, I hope you had your fun, Michael.”

“I must say I did. And it would have been rather ungentlemanly of me to refuse, when your sisters asked so nicely.” Cressida watched, as the Kilmartins made their way through the crowd, indignation rising up in her chest. They stopped just before Penelope who was laughing, a little hysterically, staring at Cressida. Mr. Colin Bridgerton and his brother the Viscount had amused little smirks on their faces. The Viscountess stood on her toes and dropped a kiss to Lord Kilmartin’s cheek before turning back towards Cressida. Smiling brightly, she tipped her champagne flute in Cressida’s direction, tossing her a wink before joining in her sister in law’s laughter. Cressida felt heat rise once more to her cheeks as she left Bridgerton House, cursing the day she’d ever met Kate Sheffield and Penelope Featherington. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for giving this a whirl, It's not my usual schtick I know, so I hope I didn't butcher it too badly!
> 
> As always, come join me on tumblr @newtonsheffield There probably won't be any more of this, but I'm always bothering the world with my relentless Bridgerton and Sons content over there!


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